Scale impeding arrangement and method

ABSTRACT

A scale impeding arrangement including a movable member, having a sole purpose of impeding accumulation of scale, in fluid contact with a flow passage, and a movement activator operably connected to the movable member to change elastic energy of the moveable member.

BACKGROUND

In resource recovery industries, there often are tubular conveyance configurations that extend over long distances. It is well known that fluids conveyed through tubular configurations can under some conditions, like changes in temperature, pressure, etc. can induce the formation of scale. Scale is a major impediment in some cases to the flow of fluid through sections of the tubular structure that are susceptible to scale formation. In fact, sometimes, scale deposition can completely occlude a tubular preventing any flow at all. Any significant reduction in flow is a problem for a resource recovery operation as flow rate translates to dollars recovered from the operation. Unfortunately, repairing the problem is also quite costly. Accordingly, the art is always receptive to scale avoidance systems and methods.

SUMMARY

A scale impeding arrangement including a movable member, having a sole purpose of impeding accumulation of scale, in fluid contact with a flow passage, and a movement activator operably connected to the movable member to change elastic energy of the moveable member.

A borehole system including a string disposed in a borehole of the borehole system, and a scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment disposed at a selected position within the string.

A method for controlling scale formation in a tubular system including determining a location of likely scale buildup, disposing a scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment in the location, and moving the movable feature thereby resisting scale deposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view of a scale impeding arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view of an alternate scale impeding arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of one possible mesh employable in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of another possible mesh employable in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of another possible mesh employable in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross sectional view of another alternate scale impeding arrangement;

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the electroactive polymer of the embodiment of FIG. 5 in a voltage off condition;

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the electroactive polymer of the embodiment of FIG. 5 in a voltage on condition; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic elevation view of a borehole system in a subsurface formation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.

Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a scale impeding arrangement 10 is illustrated. The arrangement comprises a movable member 12 in the form of a tubular that is exposed to fluid flow. The movable member 12 is supported on either end by a sleeve, 14 and 16. The sleeves include seals 18 to provide leak tight support for the tubular 12. The movable member may be mounted with or without slidability. One slidable mounting iteration includes biasing members 20 that tend to urge the tubular axially to a central rest position but may be elastically deformed to allow the tubular to be moved axially away from the central at rest position if a force is applied thereto. The axial movement may be to one side or in both directions as illustrated. The movable member 12 is moveable regardless of whether or not the slidability is provided in a particular embodiment and movability is important to the function of the arrangement disclosed herein and imparted through a movement activator 22. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the movement activator 22 is in the form of vibratory devices. Specifically, the FIG. 1 embodiment employs one or more vibrators 22 disposed on the surface of the movable member 12. The vibrators may be piezoelectric devices, or the like. In the case of piezoelectric devices, an electric supply 24 will be connected to the devices 22 which when energized will cause the piezoelectric devices to vibrate. Vibration of the devices 22 will cause the movable member 12 to vibrate as well thereby storing and releasing elastic energy in the movable member 12. That vibration enables the movable member 12 to shed any accumulated scale or to avoid the deposition of any scale. In various utilities, the vibrators may be made to vibrate at all times or may be used intermittently. In addition, in embodiments where the movable member 12 is mounted with the biasing members 20, the movable member will tend to oscillate due to the vibratory input thereby causing even more movement, which enhances scale deposition impedance and scale removal.

Protecting the vibrators 22 is an optional additional cover 26 located radially outwardly of the vibrators 22. For interconnection of the arrangement 10 with other portions of a tubular system, it may be desirable to also include couplings 28 and 30, which provide for such interconnection.

Referring to FIGS. 3-7, another embodiment of a scale impeding arrangement 40 is illustrated. In this embodiment, a movable member 42 comprises a mesh (FIGS. 5 (diamond pattern), 6 (interwoven pattern) and 7 (hexagonal)) or a spring such as a coil spring. The arrangement 40 also includes a movement activator 44 in the form of a piston whose position is responsive to changing pressure in a chamber 46. The pressure in chamber 46 is adjustable cyclically with various continuous or discontinuous frequencies through a hydraulic control line 48 connected to a hydraulic source (not shown) which may be remotely controlled. Upon increase in the pressure of chamber 46, the piston 44 will move toward the movable member 42 thereby imposing a compressive load thereon that tends to elastically deform the mesh or elastically deform the spring (note the illustrated tubular has been lined in a way intended to illustrate both a spring or a mesh material). Upon reduction of the pressure in chamber 46, the compressive energy imparted to the mesh or spring and stored as elastic energy will automatically convert to kinetic energy and cause the tubular 42 to stretch out again to it's at rest position. The motion of the movable member 42 impedes the deposition of scale and also will cause a shedding of any scale that had previously deposited. Alternatively or additionally, the moveable member 12 can be responsive to the fluid flow itself as a movement activator. More specifically, since the fluid flowing through the movable member will be turbulent, the randomized back and forth movement of the fluid will cause the movable member to move back and forth also. Each time the moveable member is moved in a direction it will store some elastic energy, which will then be released as the moveable member returns to its rest position. It is also to be understood, however, that it is possible for the movable member 42 to not be elastic in nature but rather to be plastically deformed in one direction and then pulled back in the opposite direction. If the chamber 46 is caused to experience a lower pressure than ambient, the piston actuator 44 will be pulled in the opposite direction thereby pulling the movable member 42 back to its initial position. Hence for a mesh iteration, such as that shown in FIG. 7 (for example only) the mesh may be pushed in a first direction and then drawn in a second direction. Since the operability for impeding scale is movement, whether that movement be continuous or discontinuous and at high or low frequencies, the arrangement will function as stated.

Referring to FIGS. 8-10, another embodiment of a scale impeding arrangement 50 is illustrated. This embodiment is configured similarly to the vibration embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 particularly in that it uses a vibratory functional aspect but employs an electroactive polymer coating 52 in contact with a moveable member 54 instead of the vibrators 22 of FIG. 1. The coating 52 may be disposed radially inwardly of a movable member 54 shown in dashed lines to distinguish embodiments or radially outwardly of the tubular 54 shown in solid lines. The coating 52 will be either on the inner surface of movable member 54 at 52 a or on the outer surface of movable member 54 at 52 b. In the event the coating 52 is disposed on the outer surface of movable member 54, the function of the device relies upon a conduction of the stress initiated by the coating 52 to cause the movable member 54 to store and release elastic energy. In the event the coating is on the inside surface of the movable member 54, the coating directly acts on the flowing fluid and impedes deposition of scale onto the coating itself. The coating on either surface of the movable member 54 may be continuous or discontinuous depending upon how aggressively an operator needs to impede scale.

Referring to FIG. 11, the foregoing arrangements may be used individually or in any combination with one or more of the same embodiment and one or more of other embodiments in a borehole system 60 comprising a string 62 in a borehole 64 through a subsurface formation 66. Arrangements as taught herein may advantageously be positioned in locations within the borehole where scale formation is more likely as determined by drilling logs or other data acquired prior to installation of the arrangements.

Each of the embodiments may be active continuously or discontinuously depending upon requirements and operator decisions.

Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:

Embodiment 1: A scale impeding arrangement including a movable member, having a sole purpose of impeding accumulation of scale, in fluid contact with a flow passage, and a movement activator operably connected to the movable member to change elastic energy of the moveable member.

Embodiment 2: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the movable member is a tubular.

Embodiment 3: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the moveable member is a mesh.

Embodiment 4: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the moveable member is a spring.

Embodiment 5: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the moveable member is mounted to a biasing member.

Embodiment 6: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the movement activator is a vibrator.

Embodiment 7: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the vibrator is a piezoelectric device.

Embodiment 8: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the movement activator is a piston.

Embodiment 9: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the piston is hydraulically actuated.

Embodiment 10: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the movement activator is an electroactive polymer.

Embodiment 11: The scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment, wherein the movement activator is turbulent fluid flowing in contact with the moveable member.

Embodiment 12: A borehole system including a string disposed in a borehole of the borehole system, and a scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment disposed at a selected position within the string.

Embodiment 13: A method for controlling scale formation in a tubular system including determining a location of likely scale buildup, disposing a scale impeding arrangement as in any previous embodiment in the location, and moving the movable feature thereby resisting scale deposition.

Embodiment 14: The method as in any previous embodiment, wherein the moving comprises vibrating.

Embodiment 15: The method as in any previous embodiment, wherein the moving comprises continuously storing and releasing elastic energy in the moveable member.

Embodiment 16: The method as in any previous embodiment, wherein the moving comprises discontinuously storing and releasing elastic energy in the moveable member.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should further be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity).

The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and / or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A scale impeding arrangement comprising: a movable member, having a sole purpose of impeding accumulation of scale, in fluid contact with a flow passage; and a movement activator operably connected to the movable member to change elastic energy of the moveable member.
 2. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the movable member is a tubular.
 3. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the moveable member is a mesh.
 4. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the moveable member is a spring.
 5. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the moveable member is mounted to a biasing member.
 6. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the movement activator is a vibrator.
 7. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein the vibrator is a piezoelectric device.
 8. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the movement activator is a piston.
 9. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein the piston is hydraulically actuated.
 10. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the movement activator is an electroactive polymer.
 11. The scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the movement activator is turbulent fluid flowing in contact with the moveable member.
 12. A borehole system comprising: a string disposed in a borehole of the borehole system; and a scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 disposed at a selected position within the string.
 13. A method for controlling scale formation in a tubular system comprising: determining a location of likely scale buildup; disposing a scale impeding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in the location; and moving the movable feature thereby resisting scale deposition.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the moving comprises vibrating.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the moving comprises continuously storing and releasing elastic energy in the moveable member.
 16. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the moving comprises discontinuously storing and releasing elastic energy in the moveable member. 